


The strongest fear of all

by frostysunflowers



Series: Of bright autumn days and things that go bump in the night [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Light Angst, Movie Night, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Platonic Cuddling, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-08 13:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20836553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostysunflowers/pseuds/frostysunflowers
Summary: Tony offers to watch a movie with a recovering Peter on Halloween.





	The strongest fear of all

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S OCTOBERRRRR!! IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIIIIME OF THE YEAAAARRRR!! *ahem*
> 
> You can expect from me copious amounts of fluff and silliness and the odd drop of angst as I fill in prompts from [hailingstars 13 days of halloween challenge!](https://hailing-stars.tumblr.com/post/187781459998/13-nights-of-halloween)
> 
> We shall start with 'Scary movie night' but cos it's me, I mixed it up just a little. Enjoy!

''If you keep waving that thing in my face, you’re not getting any candy.''

Peter pouts, lowering the jar with a sad droop of his arm. ''But Mister Stark – ''

''It’s gross, Pete,'' Tony carries on with a grimace.

Peter clutches the jar close to his chest, as though afraid Tony is going to take it away. Tony rolls his eyes and reaches over to ruffle the kid’s hair.

''Sorry your Halloween plans got cancelled, kiddo.''

''Ned’s so pissed,'' Peter said sadly.

Tony snorts. ''I’m sure he’s more pissed at your appendix than you.''

Peter frowns. ''No, he’s pissed at _ you _ for not letting me go trick or treating with him _ and _ my appendix.''

He shakes the jar containing said appendix in Tony’s face again. Tony shoves it away with a sound of disgust.

''Gross. That’s what teenagers are. Gross, repulsive, ghastly things.''

''And yet here you are hanging out with one,'' Peter says, hugging his jar again.

''It’s the time of year,'' Tony tells him. ''I’ve been possessed by some malevolent spirit who wants to make me suffer.''

''What about the rest of the year?''

Tony shrugs. ''I don’t know, probably breathed in too many fumes in the lab or something.''

Peter’s laugh quickly turns into a wince which instantly lifts Tony from his chair. He hooks his arm around the kid’s shoulders and steadies him.

''I’ve got a couch upstairs with your name on it _ if, _ big _ if,'' _he says firmly as Peter looks up at him hopefully, ''you promise to be a good spider-child and stay as still as possible.''

''It doesn’t hurt that bad – ''

''Hey hey, what did I just say?''

Peter huffs, ''Fiiine.''

After too much time is spent manoeuvring an unhappy Peter and his accursed jar into a wheelchair, they make their way up to the penthouse. Tony sets Peter up on the cushions and buries him in every nearby blanket before he takes a seat beside him, rolling his eyes playfully when Peter's feet land in his lap. 

''So what’ll be, kiddo? What does your Halloween-fuelled heart desire? Crazy killers chasing high school students through a house with more than enough escape routes? Haunted house with a foreboding history that nobody pays attention too?'' Tony lists with a wave of his hand. ''Perhaps a good ol’ fashioned psychological thriller where we know the twist right from the start?''

''Casper.''

Tony blinks. ''Say again?''

Peter looks shyly down at where his hands are rolling the jar gently back and forth on his lap. ''Casper. Y’know, the friendly ghost?''

''I’m familiar with the concept, yeah,'' Tony says, rubbing a hand over his goatee. ''Bit tame for Halloween, isn’t it?''

''Got a ghost in it.''

Tony pauses. ''Fair point,'' he says after a moment and orders JARVIS to play the movie.

Tony has a vague memory of the movie, spotty and scattered. It’s funny and bizarrely charming in a nostalgic sort of way, a hint of deeper emotion riding through the humour and sweetness. He can tell why it’s the sort of film that Peter likes.

Tony gathers snacks and drinks shortly after it starts and the two of them regularly swap over bowls of popcorn and candy whilst taking gulps of soda. Tony even forgoes the coffee in preparation of the inevitable sugar rush he expects to kick in a little later.

It’s a nice evening, warm and cosy in a way that Tony never would have truly appreciated before now. Peter is lazily content beside him and Tony finds himself watching Peter more than the movie. He shifts his attention to the screen when he notices a slip in Peter’s features and hears a haunting melody fill the air.

The scene playing now features the young ghost recalling how he had died. The tone is undeniably melancholy, full of a soft wistfulness that seems so much more achingly poignant for an adult than a child. Perhaps not Peter though, Tony thinks, as he glances at the kid’s face. It’s open, vulnerable, lax with sadness.

He wonders if it’s the ghost that Peter is feeling the sadness for; a child unable to be with his family, burdened by an unfair kind of guilt for leaving his father alone, of being gone and not able to do a thing about it. 

There’s a funny sharpness in Tony’s chest. His thoughts lie with the unseen father, the man who lost his son and turned himself nearly insane with desperation to bring him back, believing that he could because he knew somewhere deep down that his son was still there, even if he couldn’t see him.

Tony doesn’t have a son.

But he has Peter. 

The feeling in Tony’s chest twists into something much harsher as he catches sight of a tear glistening in the corner of Peter’s left eye.

''Kid?'' Tony prepares to stand, already berating himself for not checking if the kid was feeling any pain. 

Peter sniffs, mouth parting to release a wobbly puff of air. ''That’s my biggest fear, y’know,'' he nods to the screen.

Tony briefly looks at the movie again. ''Dying?'' he asks carefully. 

Peter shakes his head. ''Leaving people behind. Ned, MJ, May,'' he tilts over to press his forehead against Tony’s shoulder. ''You.''

The mood now is as far away from cheerfully creepy or happily spooked as it can get. Tony feels a slug of fear slide down his spine. It quickly turns into a fierce flare of alarm when he lets the uninvited thought take hold and he wastes no time in pulling Peter close, as gently as he can, not even caring that the kid is now practically sprawled across his chest.

''You know I’m keeping you, right, kiddo?'' he whispers into Peter’s hair, closing his eyes as Peter curls into him. ''Not letting you go anywhere.''

''Even if I keep annoying you with my appendix?'' Peter mumbles with a weak laugh, trying to lift the heaviness of the mood.

''Even then,'' Tony assures him, breathing a sigh of relief as the movie switches to a more exciting scene that leaves no room for dark thoughts or worries that can easily turn into nightmares. ''You’re stuck with me, Underoos, nothing you can do about it.''

''Only if I get to keep you too,'' Peter replies quietly, leaning his head against Tony's collarbone. ''S'only fair.''

And that’s the thing: the fear exists on both sides. Fear of being left behind, suffering an insurmountable loss, having no power against the inevitable that comes with death. Either way, it suits neither of them to be letting go anytime soon. Ever, really.

''You got it, kid.''

**Author's Note:**

> Casper is one of my favourite movies and it was so lovely writing this whilst listening to the soundtrack. I know it's gooey but clearly I really am incapable of not getting fluff in practically everything I do. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
